Durbin on Putin: 'Those are the tactics of a bully'

3/2/14 10:17 AM EST

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin said on Sunday he agrees with President Barack Obama speaking out against Russia's military involvement in Ukraine.

Addressing criticisms by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) earlier on CNN's "State of the Union," the Democratic senator from Illinois said that you expect the president to speak out against what Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to achieve.

"We’ve got to remember Putin developed his political finesse as the head of the Soviet secret police, and his idea of invading countries, occupying them and really daring people to go to war, those are the tactics of a bully," Durbin said.

Durbin added that members of the Obama administration have already suggested to take Russia out of the G-8.

"But what Congress has to do, what the Senate should do, quickly, is a resolution condemning what Putin has done," Durbin said. "Second, saying if Ukraine will stand up for real reform, then we’re going to back them through the [International Monetary Fund], and making it clear to our allies and NATO that our alliance is strong and neighbors of Russia that we’re going to do everything on our part to discourage further aggression by Putin.”